Reds hammer Rushden.
The Harriers wrecked Rushden's unbeaten run of twelve games today and in the process put themselves into 8th place in League 2 and to the top of the promoted Conference teams league:
8th Kidderminster Harriers 29pts
10th Rushden & Diamonds 27pts
11th Cheltenham 26pts
They have now extended their own winning run to 4 games and Dean Bennett also scored for the fourth league game in a row to continue his good run.
Colin Larkin made it into the side after the pre-game scares that he would be out through the hamstring injury that he picked up at Lincoln on Tuesday although we were missing Broughton and Foster through suspension.
Rushden were surprisingly without top scorer Duane Darby who had been taken to hospital this morning with stomach cramps.
Rushden started the strongest with the Reds making their slow start as usual.
In the opening minutes Ian Clarkson had to come to our rescue twice as Rushden applied the pressure. Craig Hinton also had to go in hard to break up another attack from Richie Hanlon.
Our first chance came from a one-two with Appleby and Scott Stamps.
From a corner Appleby rolled the ball out to Stamper who then laid it in for him to run onto but with acres of space around him he blazed it over the bar.
The first on target shot of the game fell to the Harriers when Larkin collected the ball on the edge of the area but the Rushden keeper, Turley, saved his shot easily.
Bomber Bo had the next go for the Reds when he collected Appleby crossed the ball into the area where Dean Bennett was waiting to knock it down for him but it took a bobble and Turley saved again.
The Harriers went into the lead though just after a chance for Rushden from Paul Hall was saved by Brockie.
Again the ball was supplied by Richie Appleby who sent Larkin racing to the bye-line from where he crossed it for Bennett to send it into the roof of the net from just a few feet out.
After the restart Rushden had an unlikely penalty turned down when Mark Blake looked to have caught a Rushden player on the heels but it was rightfully turned down.
Just before the halftime whistle came a stunning save from Stuart Brock when he fingertipped Hanlon's 30yd curler away after a free kick was awarded against Craig Hinton for a foul on Partridge.
If that had gone in it may have been a different story in the second half.
HT. 1-0
We could have extended our lead almost straight from the start of the second half when Larkin supplied the ball to Henriksen but he blazed the ball over under pressure from the Rushden defence.
It was Larkins turn then to send the ball over the bar after he was set on his way by Blake. His superb shot just cleared the bar with Turley beaten.
There then came a spate of bookings when Hanlon was booked for retaliation after he threw the ball at Danny Williams.
Then Butterworth went into the book after an over the top tackle on Appleby, who himself had been booked in the first half.
Appleby stupidly tried to nut him and the ref warned him that he had been booked earlier.
Bomber went into the book next when he was judged to have bought down the 10ft tall Barry Hunter by making a back for him??
Minutes later Hunter sent Henriksen crashing with a tackle from behind but no punishment was meted out.
Back to the football and Bo Henriksens shot was blocked on the line by Peters and then seconds after Paul Hall pounced on a mix up between Stamper and Brockie but he couldn't get his shot on target.
Turley came to his sides rescue when he made a double save from first Dean Bennetts header and then the follow up from Bo point blank shot.
Then in the 84th minute it was all over.
First, for 2-0 Scott Stamps delivered a fine cross into the area for Mark Blake to power the ball into the roof of the net.
Straight from the kick off it was 3-0.
Larkin robbed Rushden of the ball and set himself on course for the goal, he made no mistake in putting it past the shocked keeper and we watched as their shocked fans left the ground.
FT. 3-0
Harriers-Online Man of the Match is
Stuart Brock
A marvelous first half save earned Brockie the plaudits from both sets of fans and he went on to give another superb display.
He must be in contention for player of the season.
TEAMS:
Harriers.
Brock, Clarkson, Hinton, Sall, Stamps, Bennett, Williams, Blake, Appleby, Henriksen, Larkin.
Subs; Murphy, Shilton, Ducros, Corbett, Joy.
Rushden.
Turley, Sambrook, Peters, Hunter, Underwood, Hall, Butterworth, Hanlon, Setchell, Partridge, Thompson.
Subs; Pennock, Rodwell, Duffy, Brady, Talbot.
CARDS;
Yellow. Harriers 2. Appleby, Henriksen.
Yellow. Rushden 3. Hanlon, Butterworth, Partridge.
Red. Harriers 0.
Red. Rushden 0.
Referee;Mr.P Joslin (Newark).
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